Automatic reel



` June 6, 1939. E M WELLy 2,161,228

Y AToMATIc REEL.

Filed Ag. 27, 193e` 2 sheets-sheet 1 F. M. LITTELL AUTOMATIC REEL Jun'e6, 1939.

Filed Aug. 27, 193s 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 om NN.

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- ing mechanism to which the stock material `isl -LSU - Patented June s,1939 Frederick M. Linen, chicago', nl., signor to F. J.

Littell Machine Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of IllinoisAppnemnn August 27, 193e, serial No. 98,112

' Vc claim. (ci. 242-78) Y The invention relates to reels for supportingcoil stock and has reference more particularly to an automatic centeringreel having mechanism for rotating the reel in order to yunwind the coilstock thereon for feeding to metal working ma'- chines such as punchpresses and the like.

The present invention has for its object to provide novel drivemechanism for rotating stock lsupporting reels which will maintain theoutside loop free of the coil, and of the proper size to insure accurateand efficient operation of the feedpresented. l I

A further object is to provide mechanisrnfor driving a spindle type reelhaving automatic operation to rotate the wheel in response to the sizeof the outer loop of the coi1'stock,-.wh1ch will not@ interfere with theoperation of thefreel 'and which will be operative Vat allanglespfiadjustment of the reel. 4 1 J v' f A further object is toprovide 'anautomatic centering reel and ldrive mechanism thereforfthatcan be utilized for producing inward and outward movement of the stocksupporting ar'ms vfor receiving ya coil of stock and centering the samewith respect to the reel.

A further object is to provide an automatic centering reel havingimproved drive mechanism and which can be manually connected anddisconnected with the coil supporting and center- I ing means.

A further object is to provide improved switch mechanism for actuationby the outer loop of the coil which will be economical to manufactureand which will not readily get'out of order.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consistof certain novel features of construction and operation as will be morefully described and particularly pointed out in the specification,drawings and claims appended hereto.

In vthe drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention andwherein like reference characters designate like parts- Figure 1 is afront elevational view of an automatic centering reel embodying theimprovements of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the reelshown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the lock for, lockingthe driven pulley to the spindle of the reel;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along line4--4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional View Showing ing supporting portionconsisting of the longitu- 1 dinally extending ribs II, the transverselyextending ribs I2, whichconne the ribs Il therebetween, and the diagonalribs I3. The supporting structure has a sloping top wall I4 and pro-Avides at the lower end of the wall I4 spaced bearings I 5 and at theupper end spaced bearings I6.

.v The bearings I6 provide, journalling means for spindle arm Il, whichis therefore rotatable onv pivot I9, said spindle arm having a forwardlyextending portion I8 to which is suitably fixed the forwardly extendingspindle shaft 20. The portion I8 of the spindle arm also supportsuprights 2| integral with the base 22, which supports an electric motor,to be more particularly described as the description proceeds. BearingsI5 journal an elevating screw 23, said screw having handle 24 xed to theouter projecting end thereof and being threaded at its other end tosleeve 25 having pivotal connection with the spindle arm I 1.

Rotatably mounted o n the spindle shaft 20 by roller bearing assemblies26 is a spindle sleeve 21 having a hub portion 28. Mounted on the hubportion so as to rotate relative thereto is a combined pulley and gear3U having teeth 3| formed on the forward inclined surface thereof andhaving grooves 32 formed in its cylindrical portion. The combined gearand pulley is held on the hub 28 of the spindle sleeve by the retainingplate 33, Figure 4, secured to the hub by the screws 3l. The face of themember 30 and likewise the retaining-plate is provided with grooves 35and 36, respectively, which project radiallyv with respect-to thespindle shaft 20, the purpose of which will presently appear.

The spindle sleeve 21 is retained on shaft 20 by means of the collar 31suitably pinned to the shaft and which directly engages the bearing race26. The collar is enclosed by the cap member 38 which is keyed toextension 39 of the spindle shaft and is yieldingly urged intoengagement with the end of the spindle by the coil spring 40 retained onthe extension by the nut 4I. As the capmember is yieldingly urgedagainst the spindle the same retards the rotation thereof and The hubportion 28 of the spindle carries a plurality of radially projectingrods or supporting members 43, each of which rotatably mounts anelongated screw 44 having at its lower endl the pinion 45 meshing withthe gear teeth 3| on the combined gear and pulley 30. Each elongatedscrew rests on a bearing race 46, the same being confined between thepinion and the hub 28 of the spindle shaft. The screw is retained on itsrespective rod by the collar 41. Supported from each of the members 43is a right angle arrndesignated in its entirety by 48, having spacedlugs 50 and 5| projecting from one leg thereof, the upper lug receivingthe outermost end oi the rod 43, while the lower lug is threaded to theelongated screw v44. Each armis held against rotation on its rod 43 buthas movement longitudinally of the -rod upon rotationV of the elongatedscrew 44. Upon rotation of the combined pulley and gear 30 the pinionswill rotate simultaneously to cause` movement ofthe arms on theirrespective rods, thev direction of movement ofthe arms being determinedby the direction of rotation of the pinion and its integral elongatedscrew. From the foregoing it will be understood that the supporting arms48 of the reel have movement toward the spindle 21 Vor outwardly awayfrom the spindle, depending upon the particular direction of rotationgiven the pinions 45.

The arms Aof `the reel are adapted to support a coil of stock 52, Figure1,' which is retained on the arms bykeepers 53, each arm receiving akeeper which is detachable by means of the spring pressed retaininglever 54. Difllculty has been encountered in controlling the unwindingof the coil from the reel, especially with respect to machines having anintermittent feed due to the shortage of excess stock which causes theloops to snag around the coil. The invention contemplates a power drivefor spindle reels which will embody automatic switch mechanism forconnecting and disconnecting the drive, depending on the size of theloops of excess stock.

The structure 2 |22 supports an electric motor 55 which drives shaft 56,having suitably keyed thereto the driving pulley 51. Said pulley isoperatively connected with the combinedpulley and gear 30hy means ofendless belts 58 so that operation of the motor will result in rotationof said member 30. lIt is preferred that the endless belts 58 haveslippage with respect to the pulleys 3|)4 and 51 so as to relieve thepower means of strain incident to the rotation of a heavy coil of stockand which will permit continued rotation of the heavy coil after thepower means has ceased to operate. For locking the member 30 to the hubof the spindle so that rotations of the member 30 will be imparted tothe spindle, the invention provides a manual lock, Figure 3, comprisinga locking member 60 having reciprocating movement within a cylindricalbore formed in the member 30 and which is adapted to fit within openings6| located in spaced relation around the periphery of the hub 28. Thelocking member 60 is lifted against the tension of coil spring 62 by theknob 63 and when lifted so as to entirely retract member 60 from itsopening 6| and turned substantially ninety degrees the member will'beheld in released position so that member 30 and theP spindle may haverelative rotation.

Mounted in a support 64. Figure 5, are a pair of locking lugs 65--66,each lug being eccentrical ly connected to disc 61 by link 68. Disc 61is iixed to shaft 10, suitably journalled in boss 1| formed integralwith the support 64. The shaft is manually actuated by handle 69, Figure1, so that either locking lug 65 or 66 can be projected forwardly,depending on whether the operator desires to lock the member 30 or thespindle against rotation. Said member 30 and the retaining plate33have/been previously described as provided with grooves 35 and 36 andit will be understod by reference to Figure 2 that when the locking lugsare caused to project beyond their support, said lugs will enter theparticular recess disposed directly opposite thereto. When lshaft 10 isrotated so as to actuate lug 65. the same will enter one of the recesses35 in the member 3|! and accordingly said member will be held againstlrotation and the spindle will be free to rotate, provided, of course,locking member 60 is still held in retracted position. Reverse rotationof shaft 10 will withdraw lug 65 andproject lug 66 which will 'enterrecess 36 in the retaining plate and thus hold the spindle 21 againstrotation.

The electric switch for controlling the current to the motor 55 isindicated by numeral 12, Figure 1, the same being suitably fixed tocasing 13 housing the switch arm 14. Said arm has suitably is yieldinglyheld in contact therewith by the` coil spring 16 retained within thecasing and having contact with the other end of said switch arm. rIhecasing is suitably supported below and to one side of the coil ofpstockon the reel by the diagonal and horizontal supporting rods11 and 18,theformer being fixedly secured to a boss 80 integral with the portion I8of the spindle arm. Projecting vertically from the horizontal `rods 18are rods 8| which are accordingly positioned on each side of the coil ofstock.

With the lever 15 in the position shown in Figure 1 the switch 12 is inon position and current is supplied to the motor 55, rotating pulley 51,and through belt 58 the combined pulley and gear 30 is rotated, whichupon release of the locking member 60 will effect rotation of thespindle and thus the reel. If the amount of stock unwound by therotation of the spindleL is in excess of the requirements. of themetalworking machine, stock will accumulate and the outermost loops ofthe coil will increase in size. An increase in the size of these loops,however, will actuate the stock 'supporting lever 15, causing movementof the same downwardly and actuation of the switch to "oil position.This will interrupt the current supplied to the motor, stopping thedrive to the spindle.

The switch will remain in olf position until the excess stock has beenused up, whereupon the lever 15 will gradually move upwardly, beingurged in this direction by spring 16. At a predetermined point theswitch 12 wil be actuated to on position to again cause actuation of themotor and rotation of the reel.

To place a coil of stock on the present reel the locking member 60 isilrstv retracted and the Vspindle is then locked against rotation byactuation of shaft 1|) to project the locking lug 66. The motor isstarted and the member is rotated to simultaneously rotate the elongatedscrews in `that direction to cause travel of the arms inwardly. Afterthe coil is placed on the arms the yrotation of the motor is reversedand therefore coils of stock lt may be desirable to tighten the armswith respect to the coil, for which operation the reel is used as acapstan. First, however, the

spindle must-be released, which requires retraction of locking lug 66,and the member 30 is locked against rotation, forwhich purpose thelocking -lug 65 is projected forwardly. Rotation of the heel as aoapstan in the proper direction will now produce outward travel of thearms until they are in' tight engagement with the coil, whereupon thetation oi handle 24 which will locate the spindlel reel at variousangles to the vertical, as may be 1 desired.

" What is claimed is:

1. A spindle reel of the character described, in-

cluding in combination, a supporting standard,

a shaft pivotally supported at the. upper end of said standard,elevating means .for locating the shaft' in desired rotated positionwith respect to the standard, a reel rotatably Imounted on said shaftand adapted'to support a coil of stock, an electric 'motor supported bysaid reel and operatively connecting with the vreelto cause rotationthereof, an arm carried by the reel and being resiliently biased intocontact. with the outermost loop of said coil, la switch controlling theoperation of said electric motor, and connections between said' switchand said arm whereby said switch ijs actuated to start orstop said motorvin response to the increase or decrease in the size of the outermostloop of sa'id coll. t

2.A"device for supporting coils of stock including in combination; asupport, la shaft supported thereby having a reel rotatable thereon,

said reel including a spindle, 1a' plurality of rods sextending radiallytherefrom, actuating means *rotatably mounted on each rod, and a'support-I ing armv associated with each rod for supporting w the coilotstock, eachvarm being slidably mounted on its rod and havingconnection with the actuating means, a gear rotatably mounted on saidspindle, for simultaneously rotating the 'actuating means for saidsupporting arms, and an electric motor supported by the reel forrotating the gear'.

3. 'A device for supporting coils of stock including in combination, asupport, a shaft supY ported thereby having a reel rotatable thereon,said reel including a spindle, a plurality of rods extending radiallytherefrom, actuating means rotatably mounted on each rod, and asupporting arm associated with each rod for supporting the coil ofstock, each arm being slidably mounted on its rod and havingconnectionwlth the actuating means, a gear rotatably mounted on saidspindle for simultaneously rotating the actuating means for thesupporting arms, an electric motor supported by said reel, and meansoperatively connecting said motor and said gear.

, 4. A device for supporting coils of stock com-- prising, incombination, a support, a reel mountedfor rotation on said support andincluding a 20 shaft journalling a spindle, a gear rotatably mounted onsaid spindle, means for locking said gear and spindle, whereby theyrotate as a unit,

an. electric motor supported by said reel, and means operativelyconnecting said motor and said gear.

5. A device for supporting coils of stock comprising, in combination, asupport, a reel mounted for rotation on said support and including ashaft journalling a, spindle, a gear rotatably mounted on said spindle,means for locking said gear and spindle, whereby they rotate as a unit,an electric motor supported by said reel, means operatively connectingsaid motor and said gear,

and means responsive to the quantity of excess stock unwound from saidreel for controlling the operation ofv said-electric motor.

6. An automatic reel for winding or unwinding strip stock comprising astand, a stock reel journaled on said stand, a brake operating-to holdsaid reel in the periods of rest, alfree swinging arm mounted on saidstand and located to be engaged and positioned by a slack loop of thestripmaterial winding on or unwinding from said reel, switch meansincluding a tilting switch contact connected to and actuated by saidfree swinging slack engaging arm, a motor mounted on said stand, driveconnections from said motor to .said reel and electrical connections onsaid stand from said tilting control switch mechanism w to said motor. v

J FREDERICK M.. LI'I'I'ELL.

